The Rise in Women Preachers and What You Should Know

The category of “women preachers” has drastically risen in recent days and while some celebrate this trend—others are very concerned. How did we arrive at this juncture? Why are more women pursuing the pulpit and why are more Christian leaders promoting this movement? While we can’t be certain about the motives of certain leaders who seem very complicit in this uptick in women preachers, we can be certain that there is reason for concern.

The Increased Numbers

In 2017 Barna Research Group pointed out that there was a rise in the number of women pastors. According to their study, “One of every 11 Protestant pastors is a woman—triple as many as 25 years ago.” In a new statistical analysis, “State of Clergywomen in the U.S.: A Statistical Update” the numbers indicate that within “most Mainline denominations, the percentage of clergywomen has doubled or tripled since 1994.”

While this is mainly Mainline denominations, the trend still demonstrates an uptick across the board. When adding totals from American Baptist Churches USA, Disciples of Christ, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Episcopal Church, the United Church of Christ and United Methodist denominations, the numbers indicate 32 percent of clergy from those denominations in 2017. Compare the most recent percentage total (32%) with numbers from 1994 (15%) and 1977 (2.3%) and the trend is easy to follow. The numbers reveal an explosive growth of women serving in the office of pastor.

It seems that while evangelical churches are still slow to respond to this trend, there is an increase nonetheless. However, if you remove the office of pastor from the statistical analysis within evangelicalism—you would discover that many women are regularly preaching in conferences and church settings. This trend has continued to rise through the popularity of Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer along with others who are popular within the LifeWay brand and the Southern Baptist Convention. Look for these numbers to drastically grow in the coming days, especially if the recent heated debate on the need to elect a woman as the president of the SBC is any indicator of where this conversation is headed in the future.

What we’re really talking about is race. And so, I think we have a long lasting issue within evangelicalism of people saying ‘Let’s not talk about issues of racial reconciliation, unity, and justice—that would be a distraction from the gospel.’ That’s exactly what was happening in the 19th century as it related to human slavery. That’s exactly what was happening in the 1920s and 1950s as it related to Jim Crow and it persists among us.

According to Russell Moore, the Statement on social justice is merely about race. In an unbelievable slanderous manner, he aligns us with the oppressive and sinful agenda of the Jim Crow era. Not only is that unbelievable, but he didn’t want to address Lauren Green’s point about Voddie Baucham’s involvement with the Statement and his positions as a black man who served as a pastor in the United States for years before moving to Zambia. Furthermore, what Russell Moore didn’t want to discuss is the Statement’s denial in Article XI on Complementarianism where we point to the unique roles of biblical manhood and womanhood and insist that remaining consistent in our positions of complementarianism will not prohibit women from flourishing within the church for the glory of God. Out of a total of fourteen articles in the Statement, only two of them are specifically designed to address the issue of race.

Victimology has replaced theology beneath the banner of social justice. To play the victim card in our culture today is like playing the Ace of Spades in a card game. The victim approach to ladder climbing is both politically correct and extremely powerful. According to specific data, women are claiming to be discriminated against in their work environment—claiming that unreal expectations are placed upon them on a regular basis. Now, with the rise of the #MeToo hashtag, it’s clear that women are speaking out, speaking up, and demanding that when they step up—they must be accepted.

The social justice movement is driving a strong egalitarian agenda down Main Street of evangelicalism. Some would argue that this is an unfair assessment, but let’s be honest, if it’s not egalitarian—whatever we call this trend, it shouldn’t be labeled complementarian. When Beth Moore stepped into the #MeToo world with her twitter account and social media presence, it was like throwing gasoline on an open flame.

A well meaning mentor told me at 25 that people couldn’t handle hearing about sexual abuse and it would sink my ministry. It didn’t. #MeToo

What I’m not suggesting is that women who have been mistreated or abused should remain silent. What I am suggesting is that this social justice agenda is now claiming that we must not only admit wrong in the past by how we have mistreated, discriminated against, oppressed, and held back women from serving in the life of the church—but now we must empower them.

It’s precisely this language of empowerment that is quite disturbing. J.D. Greear released a short video just prior to the 2018 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting at which he was elected as the president of the SBC, and in that video he pointed to the need for empowering women. He likewise tweeted back to Beth Moore and stated that he saw a need for the “tearing down of all hierarchy.” Therefore, it seems clear that many in the SBC, including Russell Moore are committed to this new direction and social justice is the platform that’s being used to make it happen. In a recent post on Instagram, Russell Moore who serves as the president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) of the SBC, posted a picture of himself with Beth Moore and Jamie Ivey. The caption for the picture read, “What a joy to get to minister with two heroes in the faith @bethmorrelpm and @jamieivey here at #erlc18!” Now, if you read the comments, you would find a lady (inesmcbryde) who responded with these words:

sooooo jealous that you get to hear her! she was the first woman preacher i ever heard in the USA when i was in college. made my preacher heart awaken! love mama beth. 💜

If God had a plan from the beginning that was spelled out in the Garden of Eden and rooted in creation why must we suddenly change directions now? If the early church recognized God’s intent in the differing roles and responsibilities of women as revealed in the sufficient Word of God—why now are we suddenly hearing a consistent drum beat of empowerment within the social justice conversation?

We need doctrinal clarity, definitional clarity, and methodological clarity in evangelicalism on issues related to complementarianism. When the Word of God takes the central place in the life of the local church and the church body is consistently looking to the elders for leadership and shepherding through God’s Word—what will emerge is a healthy church where both men and women flourish for the glory of God. When social justice and any other cultural fad takes the focus off of God’s plan for his church—then the people will walk down a broken road filled with many pains.

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18 Comments

Rezel
on October 17, 2018 at 2:34 am

Thank you for the article. It is helpful. I see this happening in my country, South Africa. It troubles me a lot when preachers do not do sermons on the role of men and women in the church. It also makes me wonder whether they believe the inerrant word of God and its authority in the church.

Josh, let me say categorically that, having studied the subject of gender roles at length, I am convinced that complementarianism is a false teaching based on an incorrect interpretation of the Bible.

God did not plan male headship in the garden of Eden – it arose as a result of the fall. We don’t use the consequences of sin as a model. If we did, you would be digging in fields every day. And yes, the early church was wrong on gender roles, just as it was wrong on slavery.

Christian egalitarians like myself are inspired not by social justice or cultural fads, but a desire to correctly interpret and apply the Bible.

@DaveSmith If you are a genuine student of Scripture, then you will noice that God created the woman as a helper fit for man (Gen 2:20-21). He did so BEFORE the fall of mankind. Before sin had entered creation. At the end of the day of human creation God said it was very good (Gen 1:31). This is the long held complementarian view. Women are equal yet different.

(1) The Hebrew word for helper is ezer and it is often used about God elsewhere in the OT. It does not imply any sort of hierarchy (or God would be subordinate to man, which is clearly nonsense).

(2) You quoted Gen 1:31. In the preceding verses (Gen 1:26-30), God gives commands to male and female equally. They are both created in the image of God, and both given dominion over the earth. There is no hint of different roles. That is what God said was good!

Dave, are you saying male headship wasn’t in God’s original plans? That it was a “plan B” of sorts? Your argument sounds not only silly, but heretical. There are no “plan B’s” with God.

The reason Paul gives for male headship within the church is a reason that occurred BEFORE the fall of Adam:

I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 1 Tim. 2:12-14

Not to mention Paul’s other writings which speak of male headship; they do not contain ANY indication that this structure is a result of the fall. Rather, Paul clearly shows that the male/female complementarian structure is a PICTURE OF CHRIST AND THE CHURCH! You are very wrong sir!

For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Eph. 5:23

But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 1 Cor. 11:3

Genesis Chapter 2:15 Concerning the role of Adam and the role of Eve. “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. (That looks like a “role” to me) Verse 18: And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should alone; I will make him an help meet for him. To me, Gen 1: 26, 27, 28 is a summary of chapter 2: 15-25.

Dave Smith
on October 18, 2018 at 12:27 pm

@ Kevin W :

Josh wrote “If God had a plan from the beginning that was spelled out in the Garden of Eden and rooted in creation why must we suddenly change directions now?”. I disputed that by saying “God did not plan male headship in the garden of Eden – it arose as a result of the fall”. Male rule is a curse of the fall (Genesis 3:16), just like death, disease, manual agricultural labour, weeds in the field, pain in childbirth. Every single one of these we fight. We treat and cure disease and prevent death as much as we can, we build machines to make farming easier, we pull up the weeds or get rid of them with weedkiller, we make medication to reduce labor pains. Why do we not oppose patriarchy?

We can also rightly say that sin and death were not in God’s original plans but arose as a result of the fall. Is that silly or heretical?

In 1 Tim 2, Paul is addressing false teaching from women who have overthrown the leaders of the church. They were not properly instructed in the faith so were teaching heresy. That’s why he references Adam and Eve – God only told Adam not to eat the fruit, and Adam failed to properly teach Eve.

The greek word for head that is used in the Ephesians and Corinthians quotes is kephale. It means source or origin. It does not mean ruler, so it is wrong to read male headship into these. And Eph 5:21 mandates mutual submission (complementarians never quote that).

If male headship comes from the pre-fall creation, how come God placed Deborah, Miriam, and Huldah in authority over men?

Peter Lumpkins
on October 17, 2018 at 10:07 am

Dave,

While you may have studied gender roles at length, perhaps you should have studied the biblical text at length. To presume, as you appear to have done, “digging in the fields” to be a consequence of the Fall, reveals the most basic flaw in understanding the curse on man in Gen 3. Nor does your raw historical assertion concerning the early church’s position on slavery indicate you’ve studied at length early church history. For my part, it sounds like you’ve read a book or two written by convinced egalitarians and are reflecting their opinions. I may be wrong, of course; but that’s what comes across to me.

You misunderstand me. Quick blog comments are not an ideal means of discussion. I have studied Biblical teaching on gender roles at length, taken from the text. I am aware that the views of the early church on slavery were somewhat mixed and should have expressed myself better in that regard. But, as protestants, our only authority is the text and the views of Christians in the past are not infallible.

My comments on the curse were slightly light-hearted, but Gen 3:17-19 is clear that “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food”. Yet we don’t regard that as mandatory for all men, so why do we regard “Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you” as mandatory for all women?

I have read plenty of material by complementarians in order to understand their views. One of my conclusions is that complementarianism requires a selective approach to the Bible – explaining away the problem bits. Egalitarianism is consistent with the whole counsel of God.

David Smith,
your “translation” of the Greek kephale is wrong – it is never translated as “origin” Here it is from WordStudy Dictionary:
κεφαλή
kephalḗ; gen. kephalḗs, fem. noun. The head, top, that which is uppermost in relation to something.

(II) Metaphorically of persons, i.e., the head, chief, one to whom others are subordinate, e.g., the husband in relation to his wife (1Co 11:3; Eph 5:23) insofar as they are one body (Mat 19:6; Mar 10:8), and one body can have only one head to direct it; of Christ in relation to His Church which is His body, and its members are His members (cf. 1Co 12:27; Eph 1:22; Eph 4:15; Eph 5:23; Col 1:18; Col 2:10, Col 2:19); of God in relation to Christ (1Co 11:3). In Col 2:10 & Eph 1:22, God the Father is designated as the head of Christ. Generally, of a leader or ruler (Sept.: Jdg 11:11).

Kaycee – as Christians, we are called to love our neighbors, not fix societal injustices. All we are commanded to do is love those around us. In a society that rejects God in so many ways, true Christians have a lot less influence than you might actually believe when the vast majority of people and leaders do not hold the Bible as their supreme authority in life and morality.

It’s not my job as a Christian to “fight” for social justice. I am involved in a different fight – a spiritual war – where the weapons of my warfare are not of the flesh, but are of divine nature. Unless you fix the root issue of sin in a person, there will always be social injustice.

If you could magically make everything and everyone equal in society, sin would have us back right where we are in a few short years. Social justice is NOT the issue, the issue is the GOSPEL and its power to convert a hardened sinner into a worshipper of God who ends up loving their neighbor as a result.

One of the big issues I see with Christian social justice warriors is that by focusing on victims, they fail to highlight that all of us are criminals. We have all broken God’s law and need mercy, a rescue from justice. If the focus is on vicitmhood, and the rescue is from injustice, the biblical gospel (atonement) gets completely lost, and is actually of little use.
Social justice is a good thing, but as Christians should we not be more concerned discussing the divine & eternal justice that is inevitable for all lawbreakers rather than the social justice needed for temporal victims?

1 Co 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. 1 Co 11:7 Man is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of man. For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man. Neither was man created for the woman, but the woman for the man. She has stepped out of God’s position for her should she exert herself as becoming a pastor or preacher or bishop, but rather adorn herself with good works, not to usurp authority over the man, if she professes godliness and subjection to God. 1 Tim 2: 10,11,12

It amazes me how the church seems to always find a ‘new project’ to pursue at the expense of focusing on sound doctrine of scripture. The position of scripture is quite clear on gender roles & denying that that exists at all is laying the foundation for a heretical journey.

The Apostle Paul says in Galatians(1)6 I marvel that you are soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:(7) Which is not another;but there be some that trouble you,and would pervert the gospel of Christ. He goes on to say that though we, or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel let him be accursed.Our heavenly Father is a God of order. Satan’s job is to do the opposite of Gods Word by any means necessary. First and Second Timothy and Titus are called the Pastoral Epistles.(2) Timothy(4)3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine,but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;(4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth,and shall be turned unto fables.Paul taught the order of the church to Timothy and Titus inspired by the Holy Spirit. Study to show thyself approved and stop running on emotions. It’s not what we feel or think it’s what the Word says. God, Christ, man , woman. That’s the order in the church and the home. God set it up this way. There’s equality in Christ for salvations sake. But men’s and women’s roles are designed to be different in the body of Christ. But when you look at things through your worldly eyes instead of your spiritual eyes you will never see it. As Jesus said it’s like the blind leading the blind. God bless. Brother Vinnie from New Jersey.

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Delivered By Grace is a theology blog that focuses on theology, SBC, preaching, the church, and many issues within the Christian life. Delivered By Grace is edited by Josh Buice and contributed to by various other preachers and writers. Unless otherwise noted, articles are written by Josh Buice.

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